Successfully forced freeholder to sell you part freehold?

Question

Has anyone successfully forced the freeholder to sell them part of the freehold? Leashold Advisory Service are impossible to get hold of and the website is just confusing!

Have any of you actually managed to do this. My friend lives in a maisonnette, the owner of the flat above him owns the free hold (converted house). He wants his share of the freehold but wants to know if he is legally entitled to it.

Answer 1

no he is not ; he has the leasehold. it is no different to trying to force someone to sell you their car. It is the other persons property he is not entitled to 'his share' because he does not have a share.

Answer 2

My job is leasehold estate management and i deal with this all the time.

You are entitled to buy the freehold HOWEVER, the freehold never belongs to just one person where flats or an estate are concerned.

all leaseholders must be in agreement and the freehold purchased via a solicitor, you will have to pay the freeholder's solicitor's bill too.

when all the leaseholders have successfully purchased the freehold the leaseholders have to form a management company who will own the freehold and each leaseholder will have a share in that company, so you never truly "own" the freehold.

Answer 3

Funny you should ask this, I am in position 4 in the queue on the phone to speak to them! I am trying to find out the same thing!

I have just spoken to the Leasehold advisory service, and found that if the building consists of at least 2 flats that are leasehold (not 1 leasehold and the other freehold in yours and my case) you can buy the lease. So your friend cant buy the lease.

Answer 4

My understanding is that if a group of you in the flats wish to purchase the freehold then it has to be sold to you.

However it be better to wait and get a professional opinion.

Answer 5

THIS IS UNUSUAL.AS FLATS DONT USUALLY COME AS FREEHOLD. YOUR FRIEND SHOULD GO AND SEE A SOLICITOR, AND FIND OUT WHAT HIS RIGHTS ARE.